Match-box.



A. G. LIGHTENDORF.

MATCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED 002.5, 1908.

Patented Apr. 27, 1909.

ATTORNE VSw therefor and a cover flap 11. l

ANNA C. LICHTENDORF, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April a, 1909.

Application'filed October 5, 1908. Serial No. 456,177.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANNA G. Lion'rnx- DORF, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing in the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to match boxes particularly to paper match boxes designed for pocket use and of the type commonly employed for advertising purposes and distributed gratis at cigar counters.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved match box of this character adapted to carry loose matches.

, In the accompanyin drawings, Figure 1 is a plan of a paper blank from which my box may be formed; Fig. 2 is a perspective of the box closed and Fig. 3 a perspective of the boxopened for the extraction of a match.

The box is preferably made from a stiff paper blank cut and creased as shown in Fig. 1 so as to form a back 5, sides 6, top 7, bottom 8, front flaps 9, a retaining flap 10 To form the box the ank is folded on the lines indicated, the front flaps 9 inside the retaining flap 10 and the latter secured thereto 1n any suitable manner (preferably by pasting), leaving its upper ed e free however, so t at the lower edge of t 1e cover 11 maybe inserted beneath and held by said free upperedge of the retaining flap when the box is closed as shown in Fig. 2. A striking surface may be formed on any suitable exposed surface, but preferably on the outside of the retaining flap 10 as shown.

To render the loose matches readily accessible and to permit of grasping and removing them by the wood, a linger hole is provided by cutting away the front flaps at 9*, and weakening the upper portions of the flaps (which are not united except at their lower edges bythe retaining flap 10) by cutting the same away at 9 leaving only the free tongues 9 to serve as means for holding the matches in the box. The lower end of the match being grasped through the finger hole the tongue 9 is easily bent outward by the match or fingers and the match extracted without bringing the lingers into contact with its sulfur covered ignition end. 01' the thumb of one hand may be inserted in the finger hole and the matches pushed upward to be grasped by the fingers of the other hand at the cut away upper edge 9 of the front flaps. The fact that the tongues 9 are not united ermits the thumb to travel a much greater istance than it would were these united. It is of course immaterial whether the tongues 9 meet and overlap or not since they are not jointed. Preferably however they merely approach each other closely as shown so as to efi'ectively retain the loose matches in the box. The cover flap 11 presses them closely against the matches when the box is shut.

The box described is com net and serviceable as well as being very cheaply made and presenting the customary advertising 5 aces now commonly found on the much use tablets of paper matches. In detail of form and appearance, however, my box may be variously modified without departing from my invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. A blank for match boxes comprising a sheet of material creased to form a back, a

top extending from the upper end of the back, a bottom extending from the lowerend of said back, sides extending from the sides of the back and having front flaps, the edges of which, lying adjacent when the box is formed, are cut away to form a-finger hole and a recessed upper edge, with resulting free tongues between said upper edges and linger hole, a retaining flap extending from the bottom and adapted to be secured by its lower ortion to the lower portions of said front 'aps and a cover extending from the top and ada ted to overlap the upper portions of sai formed and to be caught beneath the free upper edge of said retaining flap, substantia ly as described.

2. A match box having a chamber for the reception of matches, the front of'said chamber comprising opposed fla s cut away at their upper edges to afford 'nger room and at their vertical edges to form a finger hole, opposed free tongues servin as means to hod the matches in said ciamber, being formed by said cuts, together with a retaining flap extending from the bottom and secured )y its lower portion outside the lower portions of said opposed flaps and a cover flap extending from the top, the lower edge of said flap being adapted to be caught befront flaps when the box is ne'ath the free upper edge of said retaining I fin er hole when said box is closed, substanflap, substantially as described. .tially as described.

A match box having a chamber for the In testimony whereof I have signed my reception of matches, thefront of said chamname to this specification, in the presence of 5 ber eorglprilslinglopposed flaps sechred in potwo subscribing witnesses.

sition t eir ower ortions an cut away' T 1 above t form free t dngues above a finger ANNA LICHTENDORB hole, said tongues serving to hold the matches Witnesses: in the box, together with a cover fiap' exv WALTER ABBE, 10 tending down over said free tongues and L. H. GROTE 

